PHIL SHERWIN, from Burslem: “Overall we were unlucky to lose. In the second half at times you would have thought Crewe had 10 men. It just showed the difference of playing two up front even with 10 men.

“I thought Tom Pope had a very good game, but in the first half he was on his own. Rekeil Pyke did really well when he came on at half time and Marcus Harness also had a good game. We were unlucky not to score, especially with that Tom Pope header that hit the underside of the bar.

“I thought we deserved a point but overall the defence looks poor. Every time Crewe attacked they looked like scoring, Sam Hornby made some good saves.

“As for Dave Artell’s comments about Vale fans not being that educated, it’s disgraceful that a manager should say that about fans. He should come up before the FA or the League for that.”

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ROB RHEAD: “The afternoon started poorly with the failure to mark the passing of former Vale goalkeeper Alan Boswell. We have minutes' silence or applause for all sorts of non-football related incidents but can't be bothered for one of our own? Poor show. As was the fare served up on the pitch.

“We should have been two down in the first seven minutes but rallied somewhat before a disastrous few minutes after half an hour. Not for the first time this season, or even this match, a forward was allowed to get behind our defence and it was 0-1. Then Michael Tonge got himself sent off for a senseless challenge to make our job even harder.

Michael Tonge is sent off in Port Vale's home defeat to Crewe

“Tonge is supposed to be one if our more experienced players but how can you expect the players to show discipline when the manager spends half his time arguing with the fourth official and opposition bench?

“The Vale made a fist of it in the second half after Pyke was brought on to play up front with Pope. It might be an idea to start with a front two.”

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ANDREW BLAKEMORE: “So, against Wycombe we were three down, Chesterfield two down and here a goal and a man down. It seems that we need something to happen to get a reaction out of this team at times.

“That first half was poor. Maybe not anywhere near as bad as Wycombe, but we gifted Crewe a goal through another piece of poor defending, Nathan Smith is being found out by the centre forwards at this level.

“Then the red card, may be the right decision, maybe it was not, but there didn't seem too many complaints. In the second half we dominated and should have got something out of it, but again finding ourselves chasing the game.